Dancing into Majorette Royalty

PEORIA (25News Now) - With at least 100 first-place trophies, a majorette dance team is doing more than introducing a new style of dance to Peoria.

The Royal Family Dance team is giving girls a creative outlet and 60 more sisters.

The team started in 2017 after one of the founding coaches, Courtney Mason, traveled to Tennessee to compete in Majorette dancing.

Now a few of the girls, who were a part of that first team say, they are still considered underdogs, but they should not be doubted.

“I used to always love dancing. I was just too shy to actually dance in front of people, so I just used to do it at home,” Demya Ross, joined the Royal Family team five years ago.

“This team really got me away from a lot of stuff. It was my escape from everything,” says Aja Reynolds, who will be graduating high school and from the team this May.

Captain Jordyn Lewis explains, “How we are now and how we were then we got a lot better. We’re really a family like those are really my sisters,” as the team’s captain Lewis says Majorette dancing is still new to the Midwest but that hasn’t stopped the team, they continue to sweep up wins across the country.

Reynolds continues, “even though we’re not down South. We can still show you all what we can do. Just better. We beat most of them every time we go down there. Now we’re really putting Peoria on the map as a dance team.”

“You get the whole style you’re a well-rounded dancer. Lyrical, ballet, jazz & contemporary; all of it is all into one,” Jimiyah Johnson, one of the younger members of the team breaks it down.

For three of the ladies, they know their days left dancing together with this team are numbered.

“I’m very distraught. I’m sad about it. Because I always wanted to dance since I was younger just wasn’t able to. I caught it but I caught it just too late. I wish I could just keep it a little longer. Even though I have barely been here. I just hope that they do well when I leave,” Dy’Ana Strong, says despite the highs of winning, before she leaves, she wants the team to know that their wins came from within.

“All your confidence depends on you. So you have to find it within yourself in order to give it to others.” She continues, “I love to help them feel better about themselves and build their confidence and make them feel better and make them feel worthy to be on this team.”

The Royal Family is showing no signs of slowing down, the royal family dance team is headed to Cincinnati, Ohio to compete in their next competition in April.

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